Journal-lubricating means



Nov. 26, 1929. P. STERLING JOURNAL LUBRICATING MEANS Filed Oct. 16. 1924 NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY;

Patented Nov. 26, 1%29 JOURNAL-LUBRICATING MEANS Application filed October 16, 1924. Serial No. 743,897.

My invention relates to means for lubrieating the ournals of rotatlng shafts, axles and the like which rotate in bearing journal boxes or the like and it has for its general 5 object to provide a novel means of simple construction by the employment of which a journal may be maintained in a satisfactorily lubricated condition for a considerable period of time without attention or renewal. I

It is also an object of the invention to provide means comprisin a lubricating element which is adapted to beheld constantly against the rotating journal and to adapt itself to the said journal automatically during the use thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of lubricating means comprising a housing and a device adapted thereto, said devise comprising means carrying a lubricant which means is adapted to be held automatically and yieldingly against the journal to be lubricated.

To these and other ends my invention comprehends the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described in detail, particularly pointed out in the claims, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated one form of mechanical embodiment of the saidinvention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than that shown and that changes in the details thereof may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the principle of the said invention. i

In the construction as illustrated,-I have shown the invention employed for the lubrication of the journal of a car axle such as a mine car, but it will be understood that devices embodying the invention may be employed for lubricating rotating shafts and the like of various kinds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a car journal box provided with lubricating means embodying the invention, the said view being taken in a'plane at right angles to the axis of the car axle;

Fig. 2 is ase'ctional view taken on the line Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a spring frame structure to and upon which a lubrieating pad is adapted to be secured; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a pad showing the means by which it is secured to the spring frame structure shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing: 1 designates the; top portion of a caraxle journal box and '2 a bottom portion thereof which portion is provided with upwardly extending ears 3 two of which only are shown which ears are connected by means of bolts 4% to downwardly extending projections 5 of the base member 1 of the box. These boltsare adapted to be inserted through and removed from openings through the ears 3 and projections 5 for detachably securing the lower portion 2 of: the journal box to the upper portion 1 thereof. The lowerportion 2 of the box comprises a chamber the upper edge portions of which are turned inwardly, as indicated at 10. The inner edges of these portions are separated from each other and occupy positions upon opposite sides of the journal 11 in a horizontal plane extending substantially through the axis of said journal. It willbe seen that the inwardly extending edge portions overlie theopposite side portions of the chamber within the lower part 2 of the j ournal box. A bearing block 12 is located in the upper part of the-journal box and rests upon the top side of the journal 11. I The lubricating device comprises spring plates or strips'of metal 15 which are arranged in parallel relation to each-other and are held in such relation by the cross-wise extending connecting plates 16 the opposite ends of'which are securedto the undersides of the spring plates 15'. lit'will'be noted that the portions of the spring plates or strips, 1

15 intermediate the opposite ends thereof normally are substantially straight, but the opposite ends thereof are curved downwardly and inwardly, as indicated at 20, to form v s rin s. The inner ends of these'loo s P a P P are spaced from the intermediate portions of the plates or strips as is clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing. A pad 21 of suitable absorbent material, such as felt or the like, is secured to the top sides of the cross plates by means of wire staples 22 the ends of which extend through openings 23 in said strips and are then bent down upon the undersides thereof as indicated at 2t.

It will be noted that the inner surface of the chamber Within the member 2 and within which the lubricating device is mounted is curved transversely of the axle journal, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and that the bottom side portions of the loops or bends 20 at the opposite ends of the spring plates or strips bear upon the upwardly curved side portions of the inner surface of the member 2.

Inassembling the parts, the lubricating 7 device is placed within the chamber in the member 2 and thereafter said member is connected to the projections 5 upon the member 1 of the journal box by means of theconnecting bolts 4. In placing the member 2 in position, the upper side of the lubricating pad 21 which has been previously soaked in and thoroughly impregnated by a suitabie lubricant is caused to contact with the lower side of the ournal 11 and when the bottom member 2 is fastened to the member 1 by the bolts 4 the spring plates or strips 15 as well as the pad are bent downwardly as shown in Fig. 1. The said strips exert continuous pressure upwardly to cause the upper surface of the lubricant saturated pad 21 to hug closely against a considerable portion of the lower surface of the journal 11,

As a result of the fact that the outer or bottom side portions of the bends or loops 20 contact-with the upwardly inclined portions of the opposite sides of the chamber within the member 2 in which the lubricating device is mounted the said device is adapted to slide and adjust itself to difierent positions within the chamber depending upon the direction in -which the journal may be. rotated. For indescribed, the liability of the lubricating device binding or sticking is obviated.

It has been ascertained by actual experience that when apad such as 21 mounted upon a spring frame structure comprising the side spring members 15 has been thoroughly saturated-with a lubricant such as an oil and placed in position as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it will provide satisfactory lubrication of a mine car journal for a con siderable period of time. It has been found in some cases that satisfactory lubrication has been afforded for a period of sixty days. It Will be seen, therefore, that by the employment of my invention frequent inspections of journals for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the same are being properly lubricated becomes unnecessary. Furthermore, by the employment of my invention a greatsaving of'the lubricant is effected because there is practically no waste due to leak age of the lubricant from the journal box. It will be seen that by my invention I pro- Vide a structure which combines'simplicity and efficiency in a very high degree and t at by its use a substantial saving of both labor and lubricating material isbrought about Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

' 1. In journal lubricating means, therein bination of a ournal box having a curved bottom, a journal extending through said box,:a lubricating pad mounted within the said box and contacting with the said journal, a frame structure for supporting the said lubricatingoad, said framestructure resting upon the bottom of said journal box and adapted to move automatically in one direction or the other within the journal box, depending upon the direction of rotation of the ournal, and means for limiting the movement of said frame structure in either direction.

2. Journal lubricating means, comprising a journal box consisting of upper and lower portions which are adapted to be detachably connected together the said lower portion being provided with a chamber the inner surface of which transversely of the journal to be lubricated is curved, metal springframe structure comprising spring metalstrips secured in parallel relation to each-other the opposite ends of which are curved downwardly and inwardly and the intermediate portions of which normally are substantially straight, said spring frame structure being mounted within the said chamber with the said strips extending substantially at right angles to the axis of the journal to be lubricated, and a lubricating pad secured to the upper side of said spring frame structure the upper side of which is in engagement with the lower side of the said journal such contact operating to bend the said spring strips downwardly and place the same under ten- I sion whereby the said pad is held yieldingly against the said journal. 7

3. In journal lubricating means, thee-om bination of a journal boxthrough which a journal extends, said journal box being provided with a chamber the opposite inner sides of which are curved upwardly and outwardiy in general parallel relation to the cylindrical frame structure mounted within the said chamber underneath the said journal, the said structure comprising spring metal strips con nected in parallel relation to each other the opposite ends of which are bent downwardly and inwardly to form loops, the outer sides of which are adapted to contact with the oppositely and upwardly inclined inner surfaces of the chamber wall, and a lubricant soaked pad mounted upon the upper side of the said spring frame structure and located between the same and the said journal and being in contact'with the latter, the points of contact of the said loops with the inner surface of the said chamber wall being in a plane which is practically tangential to the lower side of the said ournal whereby the presence of the said pad between the said spring frame structure and the said journal causes downward bending of the said spring strips to place the same under tension whereby the said pad is held yieldingly against the underside of the said journal.

4. In journallubricating means, the combination of a journal, a journal box, a lubricating device resting upon the bottom of said journal box and slidable laterally in either direction therein, and means projecting inwardly from the walls of the said journal box for limiting the extent of sliding move ment in either direction.

5. In journal lubricating means, the cembination of a journal box member provided with a chamber through the upper portion of which a journal extends, the opposite side walls of said chamber which partially surround the said journal being inclined upwardly and outwardly in general parallel relation to the cylindrical surface thereof and the upper edge portions of the opposite side walls of said chamber being extended inwardly so that the inner edges thereof are located i. spaced relation-to the opposite sides of the said journal, and a lubricating device mounted within said chamber underneath the said journal, and adapted to slide transversely of the said ournal box, the extent of the sliding movement in either direction being limited by the said inwardly extended upper edge portions of said side walls.

6. In means for lubricating the journals of railway cars and the like, the combination of a journal, a journal box into which the said journal projects, the opposite side walls of the said journal box being curved and in substantial parallel relation to the cylindrical surface of the said journal, a spring frame structure mounted within the said journal box underneath the said journal, the said structure comprising spring strips arranged in parallel relation to each other and extending transversely of the said journal, the opposite ends of the said strips being bent laterally, outwardly and downwardly to form loops, the outer surfaces of which are in sliding contact with the curved surfaces of the said journal box, strip members extending between the said spring strips and connected thereto, the said last mentioned strips being in parallel relation to the said journal, and lubricating means mounted upon the said strips and adapted to contactwith the said journal, the said spring frame structure and the said lubricating means being adapted to -move in one direction or the other about the said ournal, depending upon the direction of rotation of the latter.

7. In journal lubricating means, the combination of a journal box the bottom portion of which is curved in transverse section, a journal extending through said box, a frame structure comprising one or more spring plates the opposite ends of which are bent downwardly and inwardly and are adapted to rest upon the bottom of the said journal box, the intermediate portion or portions of the said. plate or plates being normally straight, and a pad mounted upon the said intermediate portion or portions and adapted to contact with the said journal, the said spring plate or plates extending transverselyv of said journal box and slidable laterally in 

